For decades, one name has been synonymous with the 110m hurdles in the United Kingdom: Colin Jackson. A true legend of world athletics, Jackson left an indelible mark on the discipline throughout the 1990s, notably setting a world record in 1993 (12.91) that stood for over a decade. A double world champion and Olympic silver medallist, Jackson epitomised technical perfection and speed over the hurdles, dominating international competition for years. Now, after an extended wait, British athletics finally seems to have found two promising successors ready to carry on his legacy: Noah Hanson and Daniel Goriola.
Colin Jackson: A Benchmark for Excellence
To fully grasp the significance of this potential succession, one must appreciate the greatness of Colin Jackson. In addition to his world record and two world titles, he retired with an exceptional track record, including three consecutive European Championship gold medals (1990, 1994, 1998) and a rare ability to combine longevity with technical excellence in a discipline where the smallest mistake can be costly.
Noah Hanson: The Rising Star of Hurdles
At just 18 years old, Noah Hanson has made a name for himself on the junior hurdles scene with some eye-catching performances. At the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, he secured silver in the 100m hurdles (91.4cm height) behind Jamaica’s Shaquane Gordon. His personal best over 110m hurdles (99cm junior height) stands at 13.38 seconds, ranking him 15th globally and 4th in Europe.
Hanson made his debut on the international stage at the World U20 Championships, advancing to the semi-finals. However, a costly mistake at the final hurdle saw him clip it and lose two places, finishing fourth and missing out on the final. Despite the setback, his performances caught the eye of top American universities, and he has now committed to the University of Houston for the 2024 season. This institution is renowned for its athletics programme, overseen by none other than Carl Lewis, nine-time Olympic champion and coach to Olympic medallists such as Louie Hinchcliffe and Shaun Maswanganyi (both 4x100m relay medallists).
Daniel Goriola: British Champion at 19
If there is one athlete who has handled the transition from junior to senior level with remarkable ease, it is Daniel Goriola. Unlike many others, he has navigated this challenging step effortlessly. In only his third race as a senior, at the age of 19, he stormed to the British Championship title this summer with a stunning 13.55-second performance. While still a way off the world’s best times, this is an outstanding result for someone so young and relatively inexperienced over senior-height hurdles.
As a junior, his personal best of 13.22 seconds placed him third in the world and second in Europe prior to the World U20 Championships. He now sits fifth on this season’s rankings, having been overtaken by the second- and third-place finishers at those championships. Unfortunately, much like Hanson, the U20 World Championships in Lima (Peru) did not go as planned. In the semi-finals, while holding second place, he clipped one of the final hurdles, causing him to stumble and fall, ending his hopes of a place in the final.
A Bright Future for British Hurdling
The step up from junior to senior hurdles is often likened to a leap into the unknown, which is why many young talents struggle to make the transition successfully. The hurdles are higher, and the technical adjustments required to clear them cleanly are subtle yet crucial. However, with Daniel Goriola already excelling at senior level and Noah Hanson set to benefit from world-class coaching at Houston, there is genuine optimism for a resurgence in British 110m hurdling.
The legacy of Colin Jackson, whose technical mastery has inspired generations, could finally see its rightful successors in these two young talents. With major international competitions on the horizon, starting with the European U20 and U23 Championships before setting sights on the ultimate goal of the Los Angeles Olympics, Hanson and Goriola represent Britain’s best chance of reclaiming a spot at the top of the event. Perhaps, 40 years after Jackson’s Olympic silver, Team GB will once again have a presence on the Olympic podium in the sprint hurdles.
